Chrysanthemum plant

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant known by the cultivar name Cherub and particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of flat capitulum form; anemone capitulum type; lavender ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 45 to 50 mm. at maturity; uniform late nine week flowering response; tall plant height when grown as a pinched spray pot; and semi-spreading branching pattern.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name Cherub.

Cherub is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with anemone capitulumtype, with lavender ray floret color, with eight or nine week floweringresponse, and with the ability to produce commercially acceptablequality in year round pot mum programs. Such traits in combination werenot present in previously available commercial cultivars.

Cherub was originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding programin Barberton, Ohio in 1975. The female parent was #73151009 (unnamedseedling), a dark lavender anemone originated by the present inventorsfrom a cross between #71078020 (unnamed seedling) and #71262006 (unnamedseedling). The male parent of Cherub was #74117006 (unnamed seedling), alavender pink daisy originated by the present inventors from a crossbetween #72044014 (unnamed seedling) and #73228002 (unnamed seedling).The seedlings #71078020, #71262006, #72044014, and #73228002 areproducts of the breeding program of the present inventors.

Cherub was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Walter H. Jessel, Jr. and William E.Duffett on Apr. 27, 1976 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Cherub was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in August,1976 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio by a technicianworking under formulations established and supervised by Walter H.Jessel, Jr. and William E. Duffett. Continued asexual reproduction byvegetative cuttings for evaluative tests in flowering and stock programsin conjunction with horticultural examination of selected unitsinitiated June 8, 1977 has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for Cherub are firmly fixed and areretained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Cherub has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength. Thefollowing observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Barberton, Ohio and Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

(1) Flat capitulum form.

(2) Anemone capitulum type.

(3) Lavender ray floret color.

(4) Dark lavender (immature) to lavender (mature) anemome cushion color.

(5) Diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 45 to 50 mm. atmaturity.

(6) Uniform late nine week photoperiodic flowering response to shortdays.

(7) Tall plant height (requiring 1-2 long day weeks prior to pinch andshort days, and 2-3 applications 2500 ppm B-9 SP 7 to 21 days after thebeginning of short days to attain a flowered plant height of 30 to 45cm.).

(8) Semi-spreading branching pattern.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andfoliage characteristics of Cherub, with colors being nearly as true aspossible with illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is a color photographof Cherub as a pot plant. Sheet 2 is a black and white photographshowing three views of the capitulum of Cherub. Sheet 3 is a black andwhite photograph showing the foliage of Cherub at three stages ofgrowth.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventors, themost similar in comparison to Cherub are Vedova (unpatented) and Circus(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,188). Reference is made to attached Chart A whichcompares certain characteristics of Cherub to those same characteristicsof Vedova and Circus. General comparisons are as follows:

(1) In comparison to Vedova, Cherub has darker lavender ray floretcolor, more spreading understructure, smaller diameter across face ofcapitulum, greater responsiveness to B-9 SP for height control, andshorter flowering response period. The capitulum form, capitulum type,and plant height of Cherub are similar to those same characteristics ofVedova.

(2) In comparison to Circus, Cherub has less red (more lavender) rayfloret color, different capitulum type, smaller diameter across face ofcapitulum, and shorter plant height. The branching pattern, capitulumform, responsiveness to B-9 SP for height control, and floweringresponse period of Cherub are similar to those same characteristics ofCircus.

In the following description, color references are made to A Limit ColorCascade, by the Munsell Company, 1972 edition. The color values weredetermined between 10:00 and 10:30 A.M. on Oct. 13, 1978 under 100foot-candle light intensity at Salinas, Calif.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., cv Cherub.

I. Inflorescence:

A. Capitulum.--Form: Flat. Type: Anemone. Diameter across face: 45 to 50mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets.--Color (abaxial): 46-6 to 45-6, oxidizing to46-4 to 45-4. Color (adaxial): 46-4 to 45-4, oxidizing to 46-2 to 45-2.

C. Corolla of disc florets.--Color: Approximately 26-10 over 46-6(immature), oxidizing from 46-6 to 46-5 (mature).

D. Reproductive organs.--Androecium: present disc florets only; scant tonumerous; scant pollen. Gynoecium: present both ray and disc florets.

II. Plant:

A. General appearance.--Semi-spreading branching pattern; tall height.

B. Foliage.--Color (abaxial): approximately 20-15 to 21-15. Color(adaxial): approximately 21-13 overlaid with white.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARISON OF CHERUB, VEDOVA and CIRCUS                                                                        CAPITULUM                                             RAY FLORET  BRANCHING   TYPE AND                                     CULTIVAR COLOR       PATTERN     FORM                                         ______________________________________                                        CHERUB   Lavender    Semi-       Flat                                                              spreading   anemone                                      VEDOVA   Light                   Flat                                                  Lavender    Upright     anemone                                      CIRCUS   Lavender    Semi-       Flat                                                  Pink        spreading   daisy                                        ______________________________________                                                 DIAMETER                                                                      ACROSS                  FLOWERING                                             FACE OF     PLANT       RESPONSE                                     CULTIVAR CAPITULUM   HEIGHT      PERIOD                                       ______________________________________                                        CHERUB   45 to 50 mm.                                                                              Tall; re-    9 week                                                           sponsive to                                                                   B-9 SP for                                                                    height control.                                          VEDOVA   95 to 105 mm.                                                                             Tall; not re-                                                                             11 week                                                           sponsive to                                                                   B-9 SP for                                                                    height control.                                          CIRCUS   55 to 70 mm.                                                                              Medium; re-  9 week                                                           sponsive to                                                                   B-9 SP for                                                                    height control.                                          ______________________________________                                        COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN                                              AS PINCHED SPRAY POTS IN BARBERTON,                                           OHIO, AND IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA.                                         

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium,Ramat., plant known by the cultivar name of Cherub as described andillustrated and particularly characterized as to uniqueness by thecombined characteristics of flat capitulum form, anemone capitulum type,lavender ray floret color, diameter across face of capitulum rangingfrom 45 to 50 mm. at maturity, uniform late nine week floweringresponse, tall plant height when grown as a pinched spray pot, andsemi-spreading branching pattern.